Thanks to You
by kimiko888
Summary: Life isn't a blank slate- you can't just "start over." But you can get a second chance and you gotta figure, everything—especially a second chance—has to start somewhere. For me, it was when I met her.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

**Original Summary (i had to cut out a few words in order to fit in the 255 character limit): **

_When people tell you that you can erase your past and start over, they're just puking up a bunch of rainbows and bullshit. But, second chances are out there and you gotta figure, everything-especially second chances- has to start somewhere. For me, it was when I first met her._

**This was originally going to be added to my drabble collection, I Have a**_ Co_**nfession To Make, and it was going to be called I'm In a Gang, but then I started writing it and it grew too big for a collection and it demanded its own story so that's how I came about writing yet another story.**

**Oh, and a round of applause for the beautifully written summary by hanmajo. Just beautiful.**

**Okay, you can read now.**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter One**

The first time I met her was when I was on lookout duty for Kouga. He was finishing up a deal with one of the drug dealers in town. I was leaning back against the chained linked fence that surrounded the basketball court located across the street from the apartment building Kouga was conducting business in. She came out of fucking nowhere and shoved this bright orange flyer under my nose.

"It's for the high school's canned food drive," she explained after I stared down at her as if she had two heads. I don't know why the hell she was smiling at me. Most people get the hint that I'm not friendly and leave me the fuck alone, but this bitch seemed to be lacking in the common sense department. "We're going to be trick-or-treating for cans on Halloween; it's for charity."

I glared at her. If it wasn't fucking obvious, _I _am the charity that needed the canned food. "Get the hell out of here."

"If you just donate five cans, our school could beat out other high schools in the district on collecting the most cans and we could win the money for different programs and stuff. We could finally get new computers and—"

"Get the fuck out of here," I cut her off. "I ain't got no cans."

She just smiled at me. "I'll be back to collect cans on Halloween, Inuyasha."

_I'll be back to collect cans on—_"Wait!" I shouted out after her, stopping myself from mocking her in my head. "How do you know my name?"

She just grinned and waved.

I scoffed. Fucking do-gooder.

-x-

"_National Honor's Society will be collecting cans throughout different neighborhoods on Halloween for…"_

The morning announcements sounded awfully familiar today, so I actually looked up at the TV instead of passing out like I always do.

"_If we collect the most cans out of all the high schools, we can win the money and get new sports equipment, new textbooks, computers…"_

Apparently, the first time I met her wasn't really the first time I met her. Apparently, she actually went to the same school as me and apparently, she was in my Drama class (the class I sleep through) and that's how she knew my name.

"_I'm Kagome Higurashi and we really want to…"_

And apparently, her name is Kagome.

**-x-**

_**I know, what the hell am I thinking writing ANOTHER story when I have so many I'm working on already? Well, fact of the matter is that these chapters are short and easy to write and I SWEAR ON MY LIFE I will update once a week. Preferably on Mondays because nobody likes Mondays and you'll need something to look forward to. And I've got quite a few chapters already done and they're just going through editing, but I SWEAR I WILL UPDATE ONCE A WEEK! **_

_**~Kimiko888~**_

**That beautifully tweaked line "and you gotta figure, everything-especially second chances- has to start somewhere. For me, it was when I first met her" orginates from "You gotta figure, everything has to start somewhere. The closest for me is when I was just seven days old, and I met her." Said by my favorite character in the Kingdom Hearts games: Roxas. It's not like I wanted to steal the line, but sometimes an editor has to do what an editor has to do when put on summary duty and lacking inspiration.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

**It just occurred to me that I should mention that this story is told in snippets. **

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Two**

A kid, some scrawny thirteen year old, was getting sworn in and everybody's attendance was mandatory. I rolled out of bed just a few minutes before midnight late Saturday night. I threw on all black clothes and climbed out my window to head over to the abandoned warehouse where we usually congregated.

It was ugly. I was sitting on a stack of crates so I got a good view of the whole fight.

Initiation into the gang was simple: still be breathing after getting the tar kicked out of you by ten members of the gang. It was preparation for being able to endure an ass kicking if members of a rival gang ever jumped you when you were by yourself in a dark alley. It was actually pretty sane compared to other gangs' initiation rituals. The gangs up north have you kill some innocent person to prove that you were ruthless and were completely obedient to your gang. K-9 isn't like that. We're a brotherhood.

When the five minutes were up, the ten members backed away from the kid and he fell to his knees. He was going to be black and blue all over by tomorrow and he probably wouldn't be able to move without wincing for another week, but he was still breathing. He wasn't worth shit fighting, but he was fast. He'd make for a good messenger.

His mouth was dripping with blood and his eye was swelling up when he recited the oath.

"I vow to fight for my brothers. Whoever brings harm to the brotherhood must be killed. Whoever threatens the brotherhood must be taken down. Whoever betrays us must not live. I swear to be loyal, worthy, and truthful. I'll give my blood, sweat, and tears to my brothers." He spit blood out of his mouth onto the ground; his blood oath. "This is my promise to my brothers."

It was a celebration then. Drugs and booze were brought out, Ginta cranked up the boom box he and Hakkaku had brought with them and soon smoke filled the air.

I was high as a kite when I fell down next to the new recruit, who was still trying to recover from his ass whooping, and handed him a beer. He was a skinny little red-head who probably wouldn't make it if ever caught by another gang, but it didn't matter that I thought he was the runt of the pack; we were brothers now.

"Drink it, runt."

"It's Shippo," the kid wheezed and I rolled my eyes. A smart mouth. Great.

"Drink it."

The kid looked at the can cautiously before finally popping it open and tossing it back. A second later he was covering his mouth to keep from spitting the beer out all over the floor, the brown liquid seeping out between the cracks of his fingers.

"It's nasty."

I nodded my head as I tossed the last of my beer back. "I know."

"Do you have any candy or something? Anything sweet?"

I know I was high, but this seemed like something too crazy for my own mind to even hallucinate. I stared at the kid again and he looked dead serious, his green eyes actually innocent and expecting to be rewarded with a lollipop.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I laughed as I turned away from him. Why the hell would this kid ever want to join a gang? "I'm going to have to keep a careful eye on you."

-x-

_**And that's chapter two, introducing Shippo! Don't we all love Shippo? I wanted to have this done earlier but I killed my laptop this weekend so it's with Geek Squad for the next two weeks which means I'm back on the sharing computer schedule with my sister and that's causing a few problems. But you will be getting the next chapter next monday so yay! Please review.**_

**_~Kimiko888~_**

**Yes, I realize that I haven't exactly been doing my job as well as I should have when it comes to making sure Kimiko updates stories super quick, but it's been hard for her. Even though we have a legit contract that says she must type at least an hour everyday, school has been giving our authorlady a swift kick in the butt. And despite hearing "hour" and "everyday" in the same sentence... Kimiko basically uses that time to type up _random_ scenes. You'd be surprised at how hard it can be to get her to write a legit chapter. Here's a hint: it takes _a lot_ of nagging. Anyway, Walking Tightropes and NoRMaL will be having a chapter update soon so... SPOILER ALERT.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_  
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**Chapter Three**

When I walked into school the next day, there was a fucking orange flyer on every single locker. When I went to rip mine off, I noticed a smiley face drawn in the corner. Walking down the hall way, I noticed that the smiley face was a unique feature added only to the flyer on my locker.

I crumpled it up and went to throw it in the trash, but when I turned around, that Kagome chick was standing right in front of me, frowning.

"I was going to ask if you liked my little touch, but I guess not…"

"Don't do that shit anymore," I hissed, brushing past her.

But, because she was so upset about it, I threw it in the recycling bin instead of the trash.

-x-

**A whole week you waited and this is all you get? I understand if you're pissed, but that's the way stories told in snippets are. The next chapter will be longer. Please review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**You want to punch us in the face yet? Because if I were you, I would want to punch ME in the face.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**I had completely forgotten I needed to update this story until two seconds ago. I had tests on my mind all day today.**

**Chapter Four**

Kikyo was amazing.

Kikyo was soft with full lips and perfect curves that created the ideal hour glass shape.

Kikyo had long, straight hair that stopped at her waist and was nice to twist around my fingers.

Kikyo smelled like goddamn heaven on earth.

Kikyo got the best weed and told the best jokes when she was high.

Kikyo never pried for information and didn't offer up any about herself, but sometimes I wanted to find out more. I wanted to know where she came from, how she got here; in my room, in my bed, and where she was going. Am I allowed to follow her where she's going?

"I think I may love you."

Kikyo was silent.

Kikyo rolled out of bed, out of my arms, and got dressed, slipping on her jeans silently and buttoning up one of my old shirts. She tied her hair up and finally turned to face me.

"I think we should end this," Kikyo said. "Indefinitely."

Kikyo is a bitch.

-x-

"I thought Kikyo was just your fuck buddy, anyways?"

I peered down at Shippo as we waited around the corner of yet another apartment, serving as lookouts. I pulled the cigarette away from my mouth and glared at him. "What do you know about fuck buddies?"

"I know stuff!" I rolled my eyes and brought the cigarette back to my lips. "But, why are you sad?"

"I ain't _sad, _shrimp." Heaven knows why I sat down and talked to _Shippo _about my issues. "I'm pissed off."

Footsteps were heard coming around the corner and I stood up off the ground and held my hand over the handle of the gun that was protruding out of the back of my jeans, covered up by my t-shirt. Shippo stood up next to me and glanced back and forth, waiting for something to happen.

"What do we do if it's the cops or somebody?" Shippo asked; the kid was practically shaking in his boots.

"You run," I told him.

We both waited apprehensively for the footsteps to turn the corner and when they did, the first thing I noticed was that damn stack of orange fliers.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

Kagome gave me a timid smile and held out another flyer to me. "No smiley face this time."

I sneered at her. "Get the hell out of here."

Kagome frowned at me and I waited for her to get intimidated by my stare down like everyone else then scamper away and _leave me the hell alone._

She met my gaze head on. "Smoking is bad for you." Kagome sauntered off with her chin held all high and shit. She left before I could even blow a smoke ring in her face. Bitch.

"Bitch," I muttered under my breath, glaring at her retreating form. Why couldn't she just be afraid of me like everyone else at that damn school?

"Is that Kikyo?" Shippo asked me and I found myself gawking at him. I don't remember ever handing over a dime bag to Shippo, but maybe he was high.

"Hell no."

-x-

**_See? I told you this chapter was longer. Please review!_**

~_**Kimiko888~**_

**Love this chapter3**

**~hanmajoerin**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Five**

"Halloween is tomorrow."

I was about two seconds away from falling asleep on the cushioned theater seat while some kid performed her monologue for drama when Kagome sat down beside me. Last night Kouga and I had chased down some dealer who tried to screw us over in an exchange and beat the shit out of him. Of course, we beat the shit out of him _after_ the punk slammed a crow bar into my fucking back fifty fucking times. I just wanted to sleep last night off here, at school, like I always did, but this bitch was messing with my system.

I cracked one eye open and glanced at her. "And?"

"And I'll probably be stopping by your house to pick up some cans."

I scoffed. "You don't know where I live."

"School directory will tell me." I opened both eyes at that and Kagome winked at me. "I'll see you tomorrow night then."

I watched her as she got up from the seat next to me and went back to the front of the class where all her goody-two-shoe friends sat. They all stared back at me when Kagome returned to her seat and giggled. I glared. They smiled.

Kagome was fucking with my reputation.

-x-

"Why are we at the store?" Shippo asked as he followed me down the aisle. The first few weeks he was just an annoying tag along, but now, he ain't too bad.

"I need to get some stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Cans."

"Why?"

"Stop asking so many god damn questions!" I snapped at him and Shippo finally fell into silence.

We were in the checkout line when I broke the silence. "Get some candy."

Shippo's eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Yeah."

-x-

_Ding Dong!_

"I'll get it."

"No." I shot up from the couch before Mom had a chance to even sit up. Chemo had been horrible on her lately and I'll be damned if she gets up just to give a few greedy kids some candy. "Just rest."

Mom gave me a grateful smile as she snuggled further into the pillow on the couch, turning her attention back to the TV. I wonder if she'd smile at me if she knew I was in a gang. If she knew I got high pretty much every day under the bleachers with Kouga. Would she smile at me if she knew I had made a promise to kill?

I opened the door and Kagome's bright smile shook my thoughts off for me. This bitch smiled too damn much.

"Got any cans for me?"

I grunted and picked up the bag of cans I bought yesterday and handed them to her. "Is that good enough for you?"

She smiled up at me, acting as if I had just handed her the winning lottery ticket.

"It's perfect."

-x-

**_I was definitely going to update this earlier, but I was out all day and then my family was locked out of the house for a while and that included raccoons, attempts of breaking in, and then we finallyclimbed through a window only to find out that my dad had his key in his pocket the whole time and now my mom is serious about getting a legit security system. It's quite a story, but I'm here now (finally) and updating. Please review! Oh, and Sherlock HOlmes 2; great movie._**

**_~Kimiko888~_**

**I know there's never a good excuse for not editing well, but my head is currently fucked up. That being said, you guys will just have to suck it up and forgive me if anything was overlooked.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**I made this big plan to start the homework I was assigned over winter break this morning, but I've just been sitting in front of the TV since 11 and now I'm updating. Please enjoy.**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter 6**

"Can I smoke weed?"

"No."

"Can I smoke a cigarette?"

"No."

"Can I drink beer?"

"No."

"Will you teach me how to steal a car?"

"No."

"Will you let me actually go _in _on a job instead of being on lookout all the time?"

"No."

"Will you get me a gun?"

I snorted. "_Hell _no."

Shippo shoved me to the side as we continued walking home from the park. I took the kid out to play basketball with me, Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku. "Why not?"

"Because you're too young." _It's not safe, kid._

"But you do all that stuff," Shippo argued with me. "If you can do it, I should be able to do it."

_I don't want you to grow up like me._

-x-

_**I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a great day yesterday and for those who don't, I still hope you had a great day. And you can make my Monday a great day by reviewing so PLEASE REVIEW!**_

_**~Kimiko888~**_

**Guess who got an itouch for Christmas? The happy editor right here! Score! Hope you all got wonderful gifts and made beautious memories with your family. Happy Holidays, everyone!**

**~hanmajoerin**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**TWO CHAPTERS TODAY! YAY! Since they were both so short I convinced hanmajo to let me update twice this Monday.**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Seven**

"I want a tattoo too."

Over the past few weeks of random moments with Kagome popping up in my life, I've learned to just accept her presence. Albeit, I never expected her to sit down at my lunch table and start talking to me, but this bitch had already proven herself to be weird.

"I want it in the same spot as yours, too," Kagome went on to say, pointing at the small K-9 I had tattooed on the inside of my wrist a few years ago. "Except, I want it to be a sun. Like the suns in the Disney movie _Tangled_. Have you seen it?"

I closed my eyes and took a long, slow breath.

This chick was_ beyond_ weird.

-x-

_**Please Review!**_

_**~Kimiko888~**_

**Still working on NoRMaL; fear not, good people. Unfortunately, December is turning out to be insanely busy! I t hought I'd spend my week off from school getting fanfic work done, but I have so much to do! It's crazy I tell you, crazy.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Eight**

"Why do you like Inuyasha so much?"

"Yeah, Kagome, he's a total nutcase."

"I heard he killed a cat with _just_ the wire from a fence because it made him smile."

"He's been to juvie _five times."_

Stupid gossiping bitches. They could at least get their facts straight; the only thing I ever said about cats is that I don't like them and I've never been to juvie. I'm not stupid enough to let the cops actually catch me.

I continued on my way down the hall, pretending like I didn't even hear their conversation taking place in the bathroom.

"He's special," Kagome told them and I stopped. I didn't mean to, but my feet stopped working.

"Special? You don't even _know _him."

"It doesn't matter," Kagome spoke up again. "I can just feel it."

-x-

"Why do we follow Kagome home from work now?" Shippo asked me, gnawing on a Twizzler. The kid had asked me for chewing tobacco, but I told him the red licorice was the only thing he was going to get. "We've been doing this for two weeks now."

"I'm not a stalker." Knowing this pipsqueak, stalking was the next topic he'd start babbling about.

"Can't we go rough up somebody from another gang?"

"No."

Shippo crossed his arms over his chest. "I never get to do anything fun."

"Stop whining." It was for his own good, anyway. He wouldn't last in a gang fight.

"But why do we have to look after Kagome?"

I watched Kagome as she walked out of the used book store, waving goodbye to someone inside.

_Because she's special._

"Because it's a free world," I told Shippo.

He stared at me for a few seconds before slowly starting to smile. "Oh, I get it. You _liiiiiike _her."

I punched his head.

-x-

When Kagome sat down next to me in drama on Monday, I didn't talk to her, but I also didn't snap at her then tell her to leave.

"Are you feeling okay?"

Of course, Kagome being Kagome, couldn't just let silence exist for more than five minutes. The wench was a fucking chatterbox.

I kept my eyes closed and my arms crossed over my chest when I asked, "Why, whatever do you mean?"

"Don't be sarcastic." I felt her fist hit my bicep, but it didn't hurt. "You haven't told me to leave at all and it's been five minutes."

"It also seems like I made a mistake." Some unintelligible sound that mimicked a whine came out of Kagome's mouth and I turned my head to look at her, opening my eyes. "It's called being civil." Or at least _trying._

Kagome grinned at me. "I like you civil."

I raised a brow at her and watched as she pulled her legs up into the seat and crossed them before pulling out a notebook from her book bag followed by her Calculus book. She cracked it open and flipped a couple of pages before she found the one she was looking for and started copying down a problem with the pencil she had tucked behind her ear.

"What are you doing?"

"Homework." Kagome finished writing a problem down before turning to give me a smug look. "Ever heard of it?"

I rolled my eyes and went back to facing forward. I glanced at Kagome a couple of times out of the corner of my eye, but I decided I had been civil enough to her for one day and closed my eyes; it's time to go back to sleep.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" I couldn't stop myself from groaning. I was _two seconds _away from sleeping. "Since you're being civil now, can I touch your ears?"

I pulled my hood up over my head to answer her question.

-x-

_**Today was my first day back to school after two weeks off for winter break and it was horrid and tomorrow will only be worse because I actually have my AP classes tomorrow. Waking up was by far the worst part of my whole day. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and please review!**_

_**~Kimiko888~**_

**Just like I feared: no time for editing at all this week. My new year's resolution? To finish editing that damn thing. It will be done, I swear it. Happy New Year, everyone! **

**~hanmajoerin**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer : ****I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Nine**

"Can you give me a ride?"

"I—"

"Great." Kagome was already opening my door and climbing in before I could tell her no. "I just need a ride to work."

"Look, I have to—"

"You see, Sango usually drives me there after school and then I just walk home, but Sango's sick today so it's a really good thing I ran in to you."

"Ran in to me?" I raised a brow at her and she grinned sheepishly. "It's not like I parked in the student parking lot." You don't park stolen cars in a student parking lot; you park them in the apartment parking lot around the corner.

"I _might _have followed you."

"Really?" I sighed and shook my head, starting the car anyways. I had a shit load of drugs in the trunk and the car was stolen—I was going to drop the drugs off with Bankoutsu and then take the car to the chop shop for money to help buy Mom's medicine—but it's Kagome's own damn fault if she gets her ass thrown in jail should we get caught. Just because we've been "civil" to each other didn't mean she could hop in my car. "I have to pick somebody up first."

"Who?"

"My brother."

Shippo was with me when I stole the car last night and made me promise to pick him up after school. I _was _going to drop the drugs off before picking up Shippo (he still had 45 minutes of school left), but Kagome made sure to fuck that plan up.

"What's your brother like?"

"A brother," I answered. "What time do you have to be at work?"

"Five."

"Five?" I glanced at the clock. It was 2:15. "Really needed a ride, huh?"

That damn sheepish grin of hers reappeared. "What's a little white lie here and there?" I rolled my eyes and turned off my car. Since I couldn't make it to Bankotsu's, I guess I'm stuck here until it's time to get Shippo. "So, what's your brother _really _like?"

"A brother."

"But was does that mean?" Kagome pressed on. "Is he nice, annoying, funny, protective? Does he admire you?"

"I didn't know there were so many types of brothers," I deadpanned. But, just for the record, Shippo idolizes me.

"I have a brother and he's really annoying," Kagome continued, not seeming to catch my sarcasm. "He just sits and plays his video games all day and eats up all the food and then he starts arguments with me over the stupidest things. I'm pretty sure he tortures my cat too. The other day…"

I closed my eyes and massaged my temples as Kagome got started on another one of her rants. I was beginning to think that she talked more than Shippo.

"So yeah, he's annoying. But he's alright sometimes. He can be protective of me despite the fact that he's five years younger than me. Yesterday, when Hojo stopped by again, he—"

"Has anyone told you that you talk _way _too much?"

Kagome's mouth immediately snapped shut, and a record time of ten minutes passed between us. It's a shame that I couldn't even _enjoy_ the silence because she spent the entire time fidgeting awkwardly. She'd bite her thumb, look out the window, sneak a glance in my direction once or twice, or stare down at her lap. Somehow, it made me feel guilty. I didn't even tell her to shut up, I just told her that she talked too god damn much. And damn it, I don't know what the hell to do with Kagome when she's actually quiet. Just sitting here and scratching my head makes me feel like a dumbass.

"You can talk," I mumbled, looking out my window. If I looked at her when I said it, it would be like I was actually apologizing.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's just that you don't really talk much and I never know what to say when I'm around you so I just start babbling about the first thing that comes to mind and then—" Kagome cut herself off this time. "Sorry. I'm doing it again."

I sighed and ran my hand down my face. Communication in this day and age wasn't supposed to be complicated. I could solve the problem by actually talking some, but we didn't know each other well enough to start sharing life stories.

"Are you hungry?" I finally asked Kagome, breaking the silence. I didn't know what to say, but I had to say something. "I know a good burger spot not too far from here."

Kagome grinned widely at me as if I had lifted the weight of the world off her shoulders. Why the fuck was she always doing that? Acting like the smallest gestures from me meant a whole hell of a lot more.

"Let's get some food."

-x-

"Inuyasha, you're an idiot."

I should have punched Shippo upside the head as soon as he got in the car. Did he not see Kagome sitting in the front seat? Did he really have to insult me as soon as he got in the damn car? Brat. Stupid ass ginger should have just walked home.

Kagome raised her brow and looked back and forth between me and Shippo.

"He's adopted," I lied, but it seemed like a good enough explanation for Kagome. I pulled out of the carpool line and glanced at Shippo in the rearview mirror. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"That algebra homework you helped me on," Shippo explained, digging around in his book bag for something. When he found what he was looking for, he pulled it out and shoved it up to the front. "I got every single problem wrong, idiot!"

"You little shit, I— " Kagome's laughter cut me off and I glanced at her red face as she continued laughing, her hand covering her mouth. Thanks, Runt. "You're the one who needed help!"

"I'm in eighth grade, you're a senior!" Kagome laughed even harder now, wrapping one of her arms around her stomach. Shippo's lucky I can't punch him while driving, but the second I drop Kagome off... I'll leave a giant knot on his head.

"You're so adorable," Kagome gushed over Shippo and I grimaced. Shippo made sure to shoot me a shit eating grin in the mirror. I'll strangle him.

"You should give up on Inuyasha, Kagome, and just focus on me."

I'm going to pound that little shit's head into—

"Wait." Kagome stopped laughing and turned completely around in her seat to face Shippo. "How do you know my name?"

"Oh, Inuyasha talks about you _all _the time."

He's dead.

-x-

_**All done! This was going to be up about three hours ago but I was having issues logging into fanfiction and I just now thought to try again while I was helping my sister out with her homework. I was afraid I'd have to update tomorrow, but I got it done. I hoped you liked it and please review!**_

_**~Kimiko888~ **_

**This chapter is being published later than usual because I spent a majority of my night staring at it while wondering how the hell I could manage all the chem work I know my teacher is going to throw at me. Luckily, I pulled out the secret focus weapon (Kingdom Hearts OST) and managed to hunker down. **

**~hanmajoerin**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Ten**

"Inuyasha, can you get the spaghetti for me on the top shelf?"

"Hm." I reached up and handed Kagome her spaghetti box and she smiled at me before putting it in the cart.

"Thanks."

I don't know when being civil to each other turned into hanging out together after school and then walking Kagome to her job, but it was happening now and it's a regular thing. Sometimes Shippo tagged along and other times he didn't. I like it better when he's missing.

"Alright, that's everything on Mom's list," Kagome said, rechecking the shopping list her Mom had given her. "Do you need anything?"

"No—yes." I started heading for the candy aisle and Kagome followed me with her cart. "I need some candy."

"Really?" Kagome pushed the cart faster and rode past me, grinning back over her shoulder. "I didn't peg you as a sweet tooth kind of guy."

"It's not for me." We turned down the aisle where all the candy was located and grabbed a pack of gummi worms. "Shippo's got the sweet tooth."

Kagome leaned on the cart and stared up at me. "You know, you're a lot nicer than you let people think."

I tossed the candy in the cart. "Let's go."

-x-

**I have one more day left in this semester! Two exams tomorrow and then I have five days off of school, YES! Maybe I'll actually type something. I'm actually supposed to work on my graduation project and if any of you happen to have any amazing ideas don't be afraid to share. And please review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**Alright, a few more days and this semester is toast. Normal editing schedule... HERE I COME~!**

**~hanmajoerin**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Eleven**

_Ding dong!_

I was in the middle of counting the cash I got from doing my part in delivering another load of drugs when the doorbell rang. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. It's 12:37. Who the fuck stops by this early in the morning?

I rolled out of bed, pulling a shirt over my head as I walked to the door. When I opened it, Shippo was standing in front of me, his breathing labored and he looked like he got the shit beat out of him. He seemed the same as he did—maybe worse—than the day of his initiation.

"You dumbass." I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him inside my apartment, shutting the door behind him. "Did you go looking for a fight?"

"No!" Shippo yanked himself out of my grip and stepped away from me. "It was my foster dad." I stared at him. "I just needed a place to stay for a while, but if you don't have any room here I can just go to the warehouse."

"There's nothing to sleep on in the warehouse." I turned my back to Shippo and started walking back to my room. "Come on. There's a sleeping bag in my closet."

-x-

**So, for my graduation project I decided to write my paper on why a creative writing courses should be implemented in every high school and that got me thinking about why creative writing is important to me and that made me want to ask **why is creative writing or creativity in general important to you? **I'm actually really interested in knowing. Anyways, if you don't answer my question still REVIEW!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**I finished chemistry with a solid B. B'd my final _and _the last project we were given. If I think about it, I could have shot for an A, but science isn't my thing. Editing? Yeah, it is and unless my AP class drowns me in work for the first few days, I should be back on track.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Twelve**

History was boring, weed made stuff fun, and that's why I skipped history to hang out beneath the bleachers. I had two joints rolled up in my book bag and I was already halfway through the second one. The clouds looked like they were dancing. The lion up there was doing a very good electric slide.

I was too amused with the clouds to notice the footsteps in the grass until they gained a voice.

"This is what you do during third period?"

"Oh shit." I stared up at Kagome and pointed and laughed. "Damn Kagome, you have three heads."

Kagome grimaced at me, but dropped her book bag on the ground beside me anyway and crossed her legs. "You're killing your brain cells you know. Weed is horrible for you."

"But it makes the world fun." I grinned at her and held out my joint. "Want a hit?"

"No." I shrugged and brought it back to my lips. "It's a real shame that the first time you've actually smiled at me is when you're high."

"I smile at you all the time," I corrected her. "You just don't see it."

-x-

**My message for the week: Weed is not cool. Do NOT smoke. And please review! Oh! And I just realized I haven't told anyone to read** _The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. _**That book is AMAZING! Read it.**

**~Kimiko888~**

**I like this chapter... a lot.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha **

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Thirteen**

Kagome was really naïve when it came to the people around her. When she talked to that Hojo prick, she never seemed to notice how his eyes traveled down to her chest every five fucking seconds and she also seemed completely oblivious to the fact that about five guys turned their heads to stare after her when she walked down the hall and it pissed me off.

She was also way too hyper and energetic about every tiny thing. If she gets an A on a test or finds a new band to listen to or makes a new friend in a class, she'll come skipping up to me after school and tell me about it. I couldn't care less about her stupid good grades, but I still listen.

Kagome is almost too nice. When someone has a problem, she takes it personally and jumps through fucking hoops to help them. While I was walking her to work one day, she actually stopped to give a homeless man money; everyone knows—or at least thinks—that half of the homeless people on the street are all conartists.

She's always gushing over Shippo as if that brat's the best thing in the world and that' s fucking annoying, especially when Shippo wants to be the polar opposite of _cute _and _adorable._

She bites her nails when she's nervous and if she's ever excited about anything she'll always lean a bit further forward in her seat.

She thinks the auditions for singing and dancing competitions are the funniest things on earth and forces me to sit through some with her the very few times I let her into the apartment. Normally I would have just changed the channel instead of torturing my ears by listening to people screech, but since it makes Kagome laugh I tolerate it.

She can be really stubborn and she has the tendency to pick at my habits of smoking and drinking and piss me off over petty things and she'll nag and nag and nag and it's the most annoying thing in the whole world, but after spending so much time around her, I've learned to tune that shit out.

"Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha!"

The way she sings my name in repetition three times is also fucking annoying, but at least it's my name and not Hobo's.

I looked over my shoulder as Kagome joined me at the bottom of the front steps of the school and we started walking.

"What?"

"Can we go to the pet store today?" She skipped in front of me and grinned. "I saw this really cute puppy and I can't bring home because I already have Buyo, but the owner of the shop said I could play with it until someone buys it."

The pet store was the last place I wanted to be found—what kind of gangster wants to be seen with a girl cuddling a puppy?—but Kagome kept smiling up at me and I finally agreed.

She has a nice smile.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer : ****I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Fourteen**

It was two in the morning when the doorbell rang and when I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was Shippo's black eye.

"Again?"

Shippo just grunted as he shouldered his way past me and into the apartment. "I'm hungry."

"There's a fridge."

After Shippo loaded up on leftovers we sat down across from each other and just stared. He was looking at me and I was looking at him. I drummed my claws against the table, thinking, contemplating.

"I'll give you permanent residence on the couch," I decided. "Bring some clothes over and you can stay here."

"_Really?_" Shippo's eyes widened like they always did when he was surprised to be offered something he wanted. "What about my foster parents?"

"What about them?" I asked. "You really think they're going to care?"

Shippo was silent and his eyes fell down to focus on the table. "What about Auntie Izaiyo?"

"She'll be fine." Mom loves Shippo and thinks he's as _adorable _as Kagome does. "Anything else?"

Shippo's eyes scanned the apartment as if he'd never seen it before despite the fact that he's here about every other day. Finally, he looked back at me.

"Can I really stay here?"

"Yeah." I looked Shippo in the eyes. "We're brothers, Shippo."

-x-

**I think we should all thank hanmajo for reminding me to update because I was too wrapped up in TV to remember to update on my own. I realized on the last chapter I had not ending note or title or even a disclaimer and I do believe that is because I was because I was extremely distracted by something else. Please review!**

**~Kimiko888~**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Fifteen**

We were walking a good 20 to 30 feet behind Kagome (she was on her way home from work), dipping behind our usual corners and pillars to stay out of her sight when it happened. I was just turning the corner, while Shippo continued yapping about some crap Kouga told him, when a man jumped out of nowhere and snatched Kagome into this alleyway.

_Fuck._

Shippo, who had been dying to see some real action since he first joined K-9, made a move to take off after Kagome first, but I snatched the back of his collar and dragged him back just in time. The last thing I needed was for that idiot to go running around the corner with his guard down, screwing himself over and getting himself stabbed.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo shook me off of him and glared at me. "What are you doing? Kagome just—"

"Yeah, I got eyes." I dashed towards the alley Kagome was in and Shippo followed me. "I can't let you get there first and look like the hero."

The man who snagged Kagome liked to work fast. When I arrived, he already had Kagome's hands tied up. One of his hands was clamped over her mouth, muffling her screams, while the other hand pulled up her skirt. He had lifted it about an inch when my fist connected with his jaw, the crack resounded through the air and his body fell to the ground.

"Kagome!" Shippo ran into the alley and I trusted him to look after Kagome while I finished beating this fucker to a bloody pulp.

Who the fuck did this guy think he was to touch _my _Kagome? Where the hell did he get off thinking it was okay to just snatch her off the street and rape her? I swear to God, if I find one hair missing from Kagome's head, I'll fucking kill him and dump him in an abandoned lake. Then I'll laugh when the lame ass police finally find him, washed up on the shore.

I didn't stop punching until I felt the man go limp. I climbed off him and looked down at his sad excuse of a body. He was pouring blood and his breathing was shallow, but he'd live. Unfortunately. I spat on him to make up for the fact that I couldn't kill him and I couldn't call the cops. The cops are just trouble for me.

When I looked back at Shippo and Kagome, Shippo was doing a horrible job at comforting her. She was crying and shaking and Shippo just awkwardly patted her back, too uncomfortable to actually hug her. You'd think that someone as _adorable _and _fluffy _as him could handle —at least—one crying bitch.

"Move runt," I grunted, crouching down in front of Kagome's trembling form— and for once, Shippo didn't argue with me. "Hey, wench." Shippo scoffed at my nickname and I glared at him. At least I _said _something. I placed my hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Don't… don't cry. I got him before he did anything too bad so stop bawling already." Kagome cried harder and the scent of her tears made my stomach twist. "No, seriously, your tears are—"

Kagome threw her arms around my neck and buried her face into my chest, crying on my shirt. I didn't know what I was supposed to do for the first ten seconds, but I figured that I should actually hug her. When I did, she pulled me closer.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered after what felt like forever. She pulled herself away from me and wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt and smiled at me. "Really."

"Keh," I grumbled, looking away from her. "Why the fuck are you smiling?"

"Because you saved me." Kagome moved her head so she was face to face with me again. "I was wondering when you'd stop hiding behind corners when you followed me home."

Damn. The wench is more perceptive than I thought.

"Wait for me before you walk home from now on," I told her, avoiding the previous subject. "I'm going to start walking you home."

Kagome's smile only grew. "You're so sweet."

"Yuck," Shippo groaned in the background. He looked up from the man he had been toeing and smirked at me. "Aren't you so happy to be _sweet, _Inuyasha?"

"Fuck off."

-x-

_**I got a tumblr to post scenes and banners and stuff like that, related to my stories and stuff about me so if you want to read scenes and look at the amazing banners hanmajo makes you should CHECK IT OUT! I'm under the same penname. Oh, and please do review.**_

_**~Kimiko888~**_

**I smell a romance.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer : ****I do not own Inuyasha**

**Editor's note: Reviewers, please stop asking for updates. Thanks to You updates _every Monday. _This is the day that we agreed on and it's not going to change. Your reviews are valued and important to Kimiko and I so please make them worth reading. **

**~hanmajoerin**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Sixteen**

It came out of nowhere, right out of the fucking blue. One second I was just listening to Kagome yammer on about some stupid AP class that was driving her crazy as I walked her home, and the next her hand slipped into mine, lacing our fingers together.

I looked over at Kagome, to see her reaction, but she kept talking as if nothing had ever happened. When the wind blew her hair back from her face though, I could see her grinning like a maniac.

The weirdest part was the fact that I didn't let go.

-x-

**Short and sweet. I actually really have to start my history homework, but I can't focus. And heads up to the person who's been leaving bomb threats at my school for the past two days (The SWAT team came in with guns and everything to search the school today), I would really like to get out of third block tomorrow so if you really get that urge to send another false threat** **try to have third block delayed.**

**Oh, and I got a tumblr to post banners and scenes and stuff so you should check it out.**

**Please review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**hanmajoerin: *Contemplating very philisophical composition essay, stops and looks down at her computer clock* I should probably edit _Thanks to You _before I finish pulling smart sounding words out of the sky. *Pulls up word document and locates chapter 16* Wait a minute... *notice super short length of chapter* YES! **

**Short, but sweet. **

**~hanmajoerin**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Seventeen**

The first time Shippo asked for a tattoo I told him, flat out, no.

The second time, I said he could, only to see how excited he got and then I bought him one of those 30 second, kiddie tattoos they usually hand out at the dentist (the ones you wet and press to your hand). I laughed for days at his reaction with the rest of the gang, but Shippo didn't get the joke. He felt like he was the laughing stock of the gang and refused to talk to me for two days– which was frustrating as fuck since we live in the same apartment now.

The third time Shippo asked, I let him get a henna tattoo. It was good enough, until he realized that mainly girls get hennas.

The fourth time, I finally stopped teasing and let him have one. I took him to Suikotsu's. Suikotsu does all of K-9's tattoos and despite the grungy outer appearance of his shop, Suikotsu keeps his shit sterile.

"What do you want, little man?"

Shippo glowered at Suikotsu. "I ain't little," he scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I turned fourteen today."

Right. And today was Shippo's birthday and that's the main reason I took Shippo to get a tattoo.

"Fourteen, huh?" Suikotsu's brows rose. "You must be the youngest member of K-9."

"And I earned it!" I rolled my eyes and motioned Suikotsu to get on with it. I had to meet Kagome later.

"So what'll it be?" Suikotsu asked, surveying his needles. "Do you want to look at the books for a design idea or do you—"

"I want mine to be just like the one on Inuyasha's wrist," Shippo answered with no hesitation.

"Really? That one's kind of plain, but I got a lot more designs for the K-9 sign so you can look—"

Shippo glared at Suikotsu. "I want mine to be just like his."

"If you—"

"Just like his."

-x-

_**Please review because it makes me happy!**_

_**~Kimiko888~**_

_**InuYasha... he seems more fatherly in this than brotherly. At least, to me he does.**_

_**~hanmajoerin**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Eighteen**

I don't know why doctors put patients through Chemo because it only seems to make the whole cancer experience worse. Mom has been throwing up in the bathroom for thirty minutes now. She missed _The Office_. She loves _The Office_.

I kept my eyes glued to the TV in front of me, my ears plastered to the sides of my head, trying to drown out the sound of Mom's pain. I've tried a thousand times before, but I couldn't help her.

Shippo kept his eyes glued to the bathroom door.

"Is Auntie Izayoi going to be alright?"

"She's going to be fine," I ground out. "It's just cancer."

"Cancer's a big thing," Shippo whispered.

Yeah, no shit, Sherlock.

"She could—"

"I know!" I snapped at Shippo and he flinched. "I god damn, fucking know!"

It would be better if I could live in ignorance and believe my mom would live forever, but life'sa bitch and I'm not ignorant.

-x-

"I saw that!"

I looked over at Kagome and raised a brow at the finger she pointed at my face. We were sitting in the back of our drama class and we were supposed to be working on a script for a skit we were supposed to perform, but Kagome was doing her homework and I was going to sleep when Kagome—as usual—ruined it for me.

"You saw what?"

"You smiled." Kagome grinned and stabbed her finger into my cheek five times before I caught it and pushed it away. "You were smiling in your sleep."

"I wasn't sleeping."

"Then you were thinking about something and that made you smile." Kagome leaned in closer to me. "What were you thinking about?"

I was thinking about her, but there's no way in hell I'd tell her.

"I don't think that's any of your business."

"Alright, you don't have to tell me." Kagome smiled like she knew I was thinking about her anyways. "I'm glad you're smiling though. You've been pretty bitter for the past few weeks."

Mom was able to move around easily again, so I wasn't too irritated.

"Things are getting better."

Kagome's head rested against my shoulder as she went back to writing her essay for her AP English class. "I'm glad."

**Shout out to the creepy guy in my sister's class because he pokes people in the cheek and it freaks her the fuck out. I woke her up one morning like that and she literally almost had a heart attack. And she almost slapped me in the face. Review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**As far as **_**The Office **_**goes, I'm waiting for Pam to smack Kathy (*cough cough* whore *cough cough*) in the face.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Nineteen**

"…and then he came at me, but I jumped over him and elbowed him in the back of his head and he fell on the concrete and broke his nose. Then he tried to trip me, but I got him with an uppercut and he fell down _again. _And then…"

I was trying to watch TV, but Shippo found it necessary to reenact his very first fight to me for the fifth time, this time playing the role of both him and the kid he beat the shit out of. Shippo was hopping back in forth in front of the TV and I gave up trying to get the sports updates.

"…and then the security guard came and pulled me off him, but I won." Shippo looked at me with his stupid shit eating grin and puffed his chest out. "_I _won."

"You did, but you also got a black eye." I picked up the bag of frozen peas Shippo had abandoned on the couch and tossed them to him. "Keep that on your eye so the swelling goes down some."

Shippo frowned at me, but put the peas over his eye and finally moved out from in front of the TV to sit beside me, silently watching the reports on the latest football game.

When the show cut to commercial I reached out and ruffled Shippo's hair.

"I'm proud of you, Kid."

Shippo smiled.

**Well, it's currently 10:00pm on this lovely Monday night and it's just me and you. Kimiko888's been having it rough with sleep lately and before I realized what **_**"Goodnight, bro." **_**Actually meant, I said it. And let me tell you, that girl, despite her current fucked up sleep schedule, can fall asleep in the blink of an eye. I should have reminded her that I'd be sending her a chapter, but because of a schedule change for the musical I'm in, I was convinced it was Tuesday.**

**Enjoy and review for the lovely Kimiko,**

**~hanmajoerin**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

It was another out-of-the-fucking-blue moment when it happened. One second I was standing next to Kagome (waiting to cross the street while surveying the area) and the next Kagome had pulled down on my arm and pressed her lips against mine.

"What the—" I started when Kagome pulled away from me, but I was cut off.

"It would have been really nice if you made the first move, but you were moving too slow— even for me." The pedestrian sign lit up across the street and Kagome's hand latched on to mine, dragging me behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned coyly at me.

_Damn._

"Do you want to go to my place before you go home?" I asked her when I finally regained my senses.

Kagome whipped around and smiled at me, snaking her arms around my neck as I leaned down to kiss her again.

"I thought you would never ask."

Kagome is not nearly as innocent as she leads people to believe.

**It has finally happened! It only took 20 chapters too. Please review!**

**Kimiko888**

**It hasn't even been a week since spring began and I got a cold. I love my luck.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	21. Chapter 21

"Inuyasha's got a girlfriend."

I choked on the piece of chicken I was eating and pounded my chest, coughing as I attempted to save my own life since Shippo was too busy smirking and Mom just kept eating her vegetables as if nothing was even said.

"Really, now?" Mom looked up at me with a knowing smile. "Who is she?"

"I don't have—"

"She's Kagome," Shippo answered before I could deny the statement. "They started dating three weeks ago."

"Kagome…" Mom thought the name over before it clicked in her head. "The girl that was over here last weekend to help you with your homework?"

"Yeah…"

"It's good you're dating her." Mom smiled at me. "She's a very good girl."

I dropped my hand back to my plate and pushed the food around while Shippo snickered.

Mom always smiled.

**I would like to give thanks to the WONDERFUL and AMAZING and KICK ASS editor for updating this for me because I am at my grandma's, isolated from internet access.**

**-Kimiko888**

**Kimiko's just trying to kiss up to me because I've been uploading this for her (and you) for three weeks. **

**P.S- MUSICAL IS OVER AND SPRING BREAK IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. Thank you so much for your patients, NoRMaL readers. By this Sunday, NoRMaL will have an update. Finally.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Kagome was perfection.

Kagome ran her fingers through my hair and rubbed my ears and made me purr.

Kagome smiled at everything and called me out on my shit.

Kagome had blue eyes that lit up the world.

Kagome had lips that molded perfectly with mine, a body that fit into place perfectly with mine, a hand that linked perfectly with mine.

Kagome was nice and forgiving.

Kagome was fucking gorgeous.

Kagome was warm when she laid next to me in bed.

Kagome made my heart pound in my chest.

Kagome pried and I opened up.

Kagome told me where she wanted to go, and promised that I could follow.

Kagome was smart and likable and successful in school.

Kagome's family was proud of her.

Kagome had a future…

"You can't stay with me," I whispered to her as she got dressed early in the morning, the sun just starting to peek through my window. "It's not good for you."

Kagome was too good for me.

Kagome turned around to face me and then walked back over to my bed. She leaned over and kissed me and then she smiled.

"It's a little too late for the warning."

Kagome stayed with me anyways.

-x-

**Personally, this is my favorite chapter**

**~Kimiko888**

**I didn't touch a damn thing in this chapter because it was too beautiful. I love it.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"You're pretty good at that."

Shippo looked up from his drawing and over his shoulder at me. I had been walking through the kitchen to grab a banana when I saw Shippo hard at work drawing instead of his homework.

"I know," Shippo said smugly and I regretted even complimenting him in the first place. "Suikotsu pays me twenty bucks for every page of drawings I give him that he can add to his book. He says I can work there when I get older. He's going to start teaching me how to actually give tattoos."

"Hm," I hummed as I started heading back to my room where Kagome waited. "You can do better than a tattoo shop, Shippo."

"We could all do better."

Touché.

-x-

**A short chapter focused on Shippo. If you haven't realized it yet, the chapters typically flunctuate between Kagome and Shippo because they're super important in Inuyasha's life.**

**~Kimiko888~**

**I am so proud of myself; this uploaded before 10pm!**

**~hanmajoerin **


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

School ended in a month. Finals and graduation and all that shit was in a month and Kagome was preparing both Shippo and me to actually pass our exams so we wouldn't fail.

"Inuyasha, focus!"

"Answer the math problem, Shippo, don't just draw in the margins."

"You can't take a break, you haven't gotten a single problem right!"

"No food until you finish that review sheet."

"Turn the TV off!"

Dating a brainiac, number 4 in our class, is proving to be a pain in my ass.

"Wow, Inuyasha," Shippo mumbled under his breath as he watched Kagome carefully as she stirred a pot of ramen. "Your girlfriend is just _amazing." _At least she cooked.

I rested my cheek in my hand and glowered at Kagome's back, liking and hating her at the same time.

"Yeah, she is."

**I'm in a pretty good mood today and I think it's because I decided to skip the history review after school today. My mood will be even better with REVIEWS!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**This chapter is reminding me of how close (yet far) summer is. COME AT ME, SUMMER.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Some gangs are ruthless. They'll rape a rival gang member's girlfriend as a method of revenge or to incite a war because they're all fucking pussies and can't go after an actual gang member. Who the fuck told them it was every okay to rape an innocent girl? Which asswipe thought it was fun to watch as she cried and begged and pleaded to be left alone?

I watched as Kouga crouched in front of Ayame's trembling form, pressing his head against hers as he tried to coax the name of the bastards who did this out of her. Shippo stood next to me, terrified.

"Come on, Ayame," Kouga whispered, but the whole room could hear him as he choked back tears. "Just tell me who did it… Just tell me…"

I was pissed. I was livid. Whoever did this crossed the line of gang-war and stumbled into something personal.

"Please, Ayame…"

This is why I was dangerous to Kagome. This is why she's supposed to stay away.

-x-

**Why did I have Ayame get gang raped? I was greatly under the influence of the movie, _Gran Torino. _I know, I'm kind of a horrible person.**

**~Kimiko888~**

**I loved editing this chapter because there was so much emotion in it. I feel awful for Ayame though, she's just so wonderful and didn't deserve that.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

"Let's break-up."

"No."

I stared at Kagome in disbelief and she just raised her brow at me, daring me to challenge her decision. I don't get this girl. Normally, when a boyfriend tells his girlfriend they're breaking up, the girl cries and asks why, not flat out _refuses _toend the relationship.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Do you really want to break-up?" Kagome asked me, but I knew she already knew the fucking answer. "Do you really believe that we're not good together?"

"No, we're not good together," I said with confidence. Kagome was the straight A, honor student, and I was the kid barely scraping by who relied on drug trafficking for money. The two don't mix. They're not supposed to. "I'm dangerous and it's not safe for you and—"

"If you're so worried about my safety, you shouldn't do things like kiss me."

I hung my head and ran my hands in my hair. "I can't stop myself…" What kind of punk am I if I can't control my desires for Kagome's safety?

Kagome's voice was a whisper by my ear. "Neither can I."

We didn't break up.

I think Kagome may have me whipped.

-x-

**SURPRISE! Yes, I'm updating NOT on a Monday. How I love surprises. Hopefully, this early update will make up for the fact that I had Ayame get gang raped. I almost thought of having Kagome and Inuyasha break-up, but then that would lead to more drama that I'm just too lazy to think of a way to write. Review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**SURPRISE! IT'S WEDNESDAY! Yeah, you're going to hate us, but this chapter was actually apart of chapter 25. I was just so busy on Monday that I didn't realize Kimiko's page break wasn't a chapter ender. Then Kimiko decided to keep it that way and surprise you all. Because she's just amazing.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

We were playing Scatergories because that's Mom's favorite game and Shippo and I had nothing better to do on a Monday night. And game night always made Mom happy.

The doctor said that the cancer had metastasized. It reached its final stage. This was it for Mom.

I wasn't stupid; I knew it was coming. I knew Mom's head was bald under the scarf she wore and that she was too weak to even roll over in bed last week. I knew from the long looks she would cast me when she thought I didn't notice that she knew too. Even Shippo caught on to the fact that the end was near.

"That doesn't count, Inuyasha!" Shippo yelled at me, snatching my list from in front of me. "You didn't write wok down!"

"I didn't think of it then, but I thought of it just now."

"That completely takes away from the point of the game, _stupid._" This brat… "And it's cheating! Auntie, tell him that—"

Mom was laughing. Rocking back in her chair with her eyes closed and smile spread wide. She was laughing.

Mom would be gone soon so I had to keep that smile on her face for as long as possible.

**-x-**

**Early update, yay! I figured I'd update early because starting today I am doing extreme cramming for my AP test on Friday and that means I'm shoving my laptop under my bed as an attempt to avoid distractions. But I'll still be able to read reviews so REVIEW!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**I actually edited this last night, which is why you're getting it super early. I knew I wouldn't have the will power to do anything today so I saved you all a late post.**

** ~hanmajoerin**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

.

"Shippo says I look a lot like your ex, Kikyo."

I spared a glance in Kagome's direction and took in a couple of similarities between her and Kikyo. So _that's _why Kagome pissed me off those first few weeks we knew each other.

"And ?"

"And do I look like her?"

"Yeah…"

Kagome pouted. "Do I act like her?"

I started laughing. "_Hell _no."

"Is that a good thing?"

"That's a _great _thing."

**-x-**

**Short and sweet. Today has been an extremely blah day so maybe reviews would make it better? **

**~Kimiko888~**

**InuYasha, I love you. P.S-Kimiko's birthday was last Friday~ ;P **

**~hanmajoerin**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

"Are you going to college?"

I looked up at Shippo and he just stared back at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. Shippo was wearing a wife beater and the tattoo he got on his upper arm was on display for the world to see, but the one that ran across his back was hidden. Spending all that time with Suikotsu at the shop gave Shippo the opportunity to get as many tattoos as he wanted. The kid was going to run out of space on his skin before he graduated high school.

"I don't know," I finally answered. "Probably not; it's too late to apply."

"What about next year?"

Talk about the future I hated. Kagome was supposed to nag me about the future, not Shippo.

"I don't know; that's next year." I looked up at Shippo suspiciously. "Why do you care?"

"Just wondering," Shippo shrugged his shoulder than asked, "What about Kagome? Where's she going to college?"

"Kyoto."

"Are you going to follow her?"

I scratched my head. I couldn't talk about this shit with Shippo. "That's… Yeah."

Shippo frowned at me. "Are we still going to be brothers when you leave?"

I sucked my teeth. "That's what you're worried about?" Shippo only stared at me as I rolled my eyes, stood up from the table and headed to the door. I turned around and motioned for Shippo to follow me.

It was hot as fuck outside so I didn't bother with a shirt; I walked down the stairs of our shabby apartment until we were outside, standing on the sidewalk in front of a patch of dirt where grass refused to grow.

"Bite your thumb," I ordered Shippo, pressing my fang into my own thumb to draw blood as an example. I waited for Shippo to do the same before I used my toe to dig a small hole in the ground. I crouched down and smudged my bloody thumb into the dirt then stared at Shippo, waiting for him to do the same. Once he finished, I covered the hole back up with dirt. "Now we're blood brothers," I told him."Always."

"Just by blending our blood together in the dirt?"

"Yeah, smartass." I learned this ritual back in second grade. "We were lifetime brother before we went digging in the dirt anyways, but you're the one who always need more proof."

In an attempt to hide his smile, Shippo smirked at me.

-x-

"What would you say if I told you I loved you?"

It was a Wednesday afternoon and Kagome had managed to sweet talk her way into my apartment. Shippo was off doing a job with the twins and I had just checked up on Mom to make sure she was okay; she was sleeping in her bed.

Kagome sat on her knees on my bed, staring up at me and biting on her lower lip nervously. She had changed into one of my shirts. She should wear my clothes more often…

"Inuyasha,"Kagome's voice called me out of my trance. I shook my head quickly, returning to reality. "I asked you a question."

"Right."I sighed and walked into my room, closing the door behind me. "I'd tell you that you could do a lot better than me and staying with me could be dangerous,"I told her, sitting down on next to her. "But, you're stubborn and probably wouldn't listen and I'd be okay with that."

Kagome frowned at me. "You wouldn't say, 'I love you, too'?"

I looked Kagome in the eyes for a long time before lying back on my bed. "I think you already know the answer to that."

Kagome smiled at me like I had handed her a million dollars and fell back on the bed next to me, wrapping her arm around my stomach.

"I love you, too, Inuyasha."

-x-

"Inuyasha, I know you haven't showed much interest in the past…"

_"Where the fuck have you been lately, Inuyasha? We haven't seen you around the warehouse in days."_

"…but you should really start considering your future carefully. Pursuing a higher education, or a career, or…"

_"We need you to do a job for us. Bankoutsu is going to be waiting by the pier with a new package of drugs and…"_

"It seems your grades are actually okay and if you do some SAT prep you can…"

_"What do you mean you can't do it tonight? You've been using that same excuse for months!"_

"…actually have a few options for your future, Inuyasha. As you counselor, I highly recommend you start thinking about it."

_"Are you letting that bitch get into your head? What about our _brotherhood_?"_

"You could be successful."

_"Whatever man. We'll just take Shippo with us then."_

Kagome chose the path of colleges and careers. Shippo chose the path of gang violence and the brotherhood and being tough. Those two paths don't cross.

Mother of _fuck_.

-x-

**Yay to early morning updates and longer chapters! I'm supposed to be writing an essay right now or at least eating breakfast, but I choose to update instead. Yes, that's how special y'all are to me. Please review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**Final home stretch for school, everyone! Hang in there and hopefully InuYasha will, too.**

**~hanmajoerin**

.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Thirty**

Somehow, I graduated.

There was now a picture of me with my diploma, dressed in my cap and gown, hanging on the wall. Actually, there were four pictures of me in my cap and gown hanging on the wall. One where it was just me, another with me and mom standing together, one with me and Shippo standing side by side, and the last one was the three of us all together. There was another picture of Kagome and me standing together with our diplomas, but I kept that one in my room. Kagome had a billion ropes and sashes draped over her gown, but it didn't really matter that I looked like an idiot standing next to her—I was lucky to even have a cap and gown.

It was weird as fuck to keep looking at those pictures and realize that I actually accomplished something in my life- something that made Mom proud of me. I don't know how many times Mom has told me in the last month how proud she was of me.

"And you can still apply for community college too, you know," Mom was telling me as she made Shippo and I breakfast one morning. "They'll probably let you go for free too because of our financial state. Oh, Inuyasha, you could study to be anything you want now! I'm going to download an application for you right after breakfast."

Suddenly, being in a gang didn't feel like something I wanted anymore.

-x-

**Yeah, I was so usy enjoying not having to go to school I almost forgot I had to update. I only have 7 more days of school and I am just hoping that I make it through. Then maybe I'll update other stories. Please review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**Sorry for any missed mistakes, I actually forgot today was Monday and I magically have to produce three more minutes of my speech out of thin air and then finish my powerpoint for tomorrow. School, it's kind of crazy.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Thirty One**

I didn't know how to actually get out of a gang with people I swore were my brothers so I decided to stop showing up to the warehouse for good. I stopped congratulating Shippo whenever he won a fight. I stopped moving drugs back and forth and stealing cars for money and got a job at a restaurant that was kind enough to overlook the tattoo on my wrist. I stopped going with Shippo on lookout duty. I stopped doing drugs and drinking.

I spent more time with Kagome since she was a saint and the complete opposite of what I was running away from. I stopped spending as much time with Shippo because he was still trying to embrace what I was running from and he tuned me out every time I tried to tell him not to go with Kouga on another deal.

"All you do is hang around Kagome all day like a whipped puppy!" Shippo shouted at me while I began getting ready for work. "You're going to just follow Kagome to Kyoto and be her fucking lap dog and live off her paycheck! Do you really think she's going to stay with you when you're an idiot and she's going to be a doctor and make a bunch of money and you're just going to be sitting there on the couch not doing shit?" I turned away from Shippo but he ran around to get right back in my face. "She's going to leave you the second she finds out that you're nothing but a worthless dog!"

"Shut up, runt," I bit out through clenched teeth. My first instinct was to stomp him into the ground, but I'm trying to be a better person.

"You're not going to be anything to her," Shippo kept going. "She's going to leave you the first chance she gets!"

"Shut up you useless runt!" I glared down at Shippo losing all my ability to keep my temper in check. Enough is enough. You want to know who's worthless? _You! _You can't do shit right! Why do you think I don't let you do anything besides stay on lookout? Because you'd fuck everything up! You'd piss in your pants the first time someone points a gun at you and take off running. You really think anyone is going to want to keep a pussy like you around? The only reason we put up with you is because you're an annoying little leech who doesn't get the fact that you're not wanted! _Nobody likes you!" _Shippo stared back at me with wide eyes and tears started to collect. I already knew I said a lot of things I didn't mean and should take back, but I was pissed off."Look at you? You're already crying!"

"You're not my brother anymore!" Shippo shouted, running his arm across his eyes to get rid of his tears.

"Yeah, real mature," I scoffed. "I never_ was _your brother, dumbass!"

Shippo looked at me, shocked, then narrowed his eyes and he marched to the front door and slammed it shut behind him.

Damn. I probably shouldn't have said that.

-x-

**Bro fight? Sadness. Anyway, I have great news. I'm done all my obligations to my school this year (except for showing up on Thursday and Friday, of course)! Tomorrow, my plan is to catch up on the editing I wasn't able to do. Which isn't that much, but anyway, now that both my and Kimiko's school is coming to an end (finally) updates will be much more frequent. At least they better be. Kimiko.**

**~hanmajoerin**

**Oh yeah. Updating. Right. I'm just kidding, I actually have put some thought into updating quite a few things within my first few days of summer vacation, I just have to hope that I don't lose that inspiration and motivation. My big summer plan is Turning My Life Around, and that includes updating more so we'll see how that works out. This would have been up earlier but I was exercising Good Big Sister behavior and I let my sister watch Doctor Who on my laptop. PLEASE REVIEW! Reading them makes me happy.**

**~Kimiko888~**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha**

**Chapter Thirty Two**

It's been three days since Shippo's been home, but I'll be damned if I go and look for that runt when he was the one who started the whole fight. If he wanted an apology, he could come and find me first.

Kagome and I were in the middle of some movie that happened to be playing on Comedy Central—it was seriously lacking in the comedy department—when my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Kouga. My first thought was to send the fleabag directly to voicemail. Then I realized it was Shippo (probably coming to beg for forgiveness) so I answered it.

"Back with your tail between your legs already?" He was smart not to come groveling in person because I would have laughed in his face (I would apologize too, the laughing just would have preceded it).

"_I swear to fucking god, I didn't mean to—I didn't see it coming, man, I didn't. I would have grabbed him, but he—I'm sorry. I should have—fuck. I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I swear to god, I'm so fucking sorry."_

Kouga was crying and the only time I've ever heard him cry like that was when Ayame was raped.

"What the fuck did you do?" Kagome looked up at me from where her head rested on my lap, concern furrowing her brows.

"What's wrong?"

"Kouga!"I snapped, ignoring Kagome's question when the wolf took too long to answer mine. "What the hell did you do?"

_"It was Naraku! We were just walking out of Bankotsu's and Shippo just—damnit, I told him to just stay still, but he ran around the corner and I heard the shots and then…_" Kouga's voice broke off again and it took him a while to pull himself together before he could start talking, but I didn't want to hear anymore. _"Ginta called the ambulance and we're at the hospital, but the doctor says—"_

"Inuyasha?"Kagome called out to me as I snapped my phone shut and shot up from the couch, her head falling abruptly on the cushion now that my lap had disappeared. "What's going on?" I grabbed my shoes off the floor and started stuffing my feet into them. "Inuyasha?"

"Grab your coat," I ordered her, starting down the hall. I looked back over my shoulder to make sure Kagome was getting ready, but she was only staring at me in confusion. "Damnit, Kagome, hurry up!" that sent her into a flurry of motion and I continued down the hall to Mom's room.

"Mom!"I threw open her door and she was already struggling to tug her boots on; Mom did always have this sense for when things were going wrong.

"I told you to go after him," she hissed at me as I draped a large coat over her nightgown and helped her stand up and walk down the hall to where Kagome was waiting, still looking confused and anxious. "I told you to go after him."

"You tell me a lot of things."

"Why don't you ever listen to me?" She whimpered as a tear fell down her face. "You should have gone after him."

_I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry, Shippo._

Why the hell can't "sorry" ever be good enough?

**Yes, we are assholes for the cliff hanger. Sorry, everyone! And, on a side note, I keep forgetting to mention that I have a tumblr as well. One that I will posting on a lot more now that summer is here. Check me out under hanmajoerin!**

**~hanmajoerin**

**I want to apologize for being a bitch and that I had been inspired by **_**Step Up**_**. In fact, **_**Step Up**_** and the first fifteen minutes of some random movie on Netflix inspired me the most to write this.**

**~Kimiko888~**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**Chapter Thirty Three**

It took too long for the nurse to tell us where he was. She pointlessly babbled on and on about how visiting hours were over and if we came back tomorrow we could—doesn't she get it?

"He might not be here tomorrow!" I snapped and Kagome shushed me in an attempt to calm me down which only pissed me off more. Mom only cried harder.

"Fuck this," I grumbled under my breath when the nurse looked like she was about to call security for my unruly behavior. I grabbed Kagome's hand and placed my other hand on Mom's back to guide her as I followed Shippo's scent to his room. The distinct metallic scent of blood crowded around his room, suffocating everything around it.

When we finally reached the hall Shippo was in, the first people I saw were Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku. Ayame was there too, hovering over Kouga in the baggy clothes she now wore to prevent people from noticing her.

Kouga was the first to notice me and he shot up. "Inuyasha, I didn't mean to—"

I shoved the blubbering wolf out of my way and threw the door open; I wasn't prepared to see Shippo lying in the hospital bed looking paler than a ghost. His eyes cracked open in response to the door slamming against the wall and he tried—and failed—to smile at us.

"Hi, Auntie," he rasped and Mom flew into the room, seeming to have forgotten that she had trouble walking not too long ago. She wrapped her arms around Shippo and spoke to him through her tears, cradling his head and rocking him and kissing his cheeks.

Beside me, Kagome slowly unraveled. Her grip on my hand turned into an attempt to break every bone as her knuckles turned white while she tried to get herself together before she joined Mom by Shippo's bedside. She sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Shippo's hair and ghosted her fingers over his tattoos and whispered all this great stuff about him while her lower lip trembled and tears fell from her eyes.

I could only stand in the threshold, frozen. They were acting like Shippo was about to die and he wasn't. He was just… He was just… wounded. Yeah, wounded. Just one bullet. He'd be fine. He'd be fine. He was a demon, he was my brother. We don't go down after one little bullet.

_He'sfineHe'sfineHe'sfineHe'sfine._

Somehow I found myself by his bedside too though, sitting next to Kagome with my hand wrapped around his smaller one. The one with our matching tattoo. His hand was really cold.

They should probably turn the heat up in here.

"Hey," Shippo's voice was barely above a whisper and it sounded raspy— as if talking was a struggle. He turned his head to look at me. "Are we still going to be brothers after I die?"

I heard Kagome's sob first, followed immediately by Mom and I held Shippo's hand tighter, not wanting to join them in crying just yet. There was still a chance. Fuck what the doctor said, Shippo… God damnit, Shippo was going to live. Because he was my brother and he can't die. _Hecan'tHecan'tHecan't._

"You're not going to die."

Shippo struggled to pull off a smirk, but he failed. "Are… are we still going to be brothers after I die?"

I swiped at my eyes before the tears that blurred my vision could fall.

"Yeah."

-x-

We stayed with Shippou until his heart monitor went flat.

Mom cried louder, Kagome sobbed harder, and I hated myself even more.

**~kimiko888~**

**~hanmajoerin**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

_**Thanks to You**_

**Chapter Thirty Four**

_I vow to fight for my brothers._

Me and six other members (including Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku), went to hunt down Naraku the next night, moving stealthily across the tops of buildings, dressed in all black.

_Whoever brings harm to the brotherhood must be killed. Whoever threatens the brotherhood must be taken down. Whoever betrays us must not live._

We found Naraku hiding out in an alley behind the convenience store owned by the old, bug-eyed man, surrounded by two of his lackeys, Kagura and Hakudoshi. Six to three wasn't all that fair, but neither is shooting down a kid and just getting away with it. And gangs don't build reputations for playing by the rules.

_I swear to be loyal, worthy, and truthful._

"Did you shoot the kid?" I seethed out, my eyes locked on Naraku. He smirked.

"And if I did?"

I snarled at him, my vision beginning to bleed red. "I'll fucking kill you."

_I'll give my blood, sweat, and tears to my brothers._

Naraku took off running. I always knew he would be the kind of punk to try to run away from a battle, but I quickly cornered him while I left the other five to handle Kagura and Hakudoshi.

"We can make a deal," Naraku tried to bargain as I stepped closer to him, reaching for the gun in my waist band. "I could get you any drug you want or money or—"

"Can you bring Shippo back?"

Naraku was silent. No, he couldn't. And that's the only thing I wanted.

"I can—"

I pointed my gun and pulled the trigger.

_This is my promise to my brothers._

_-x-_

**So… funny story: I was at a writers' workshop the majority of last week and during the Fiction lecture the speaker said to stop killing off characters and make them work through decisions and consequences and stuff. Ha ha. Funny how that advice came two days too late…**

**~Kimiko888~**

**Last week I kindly requested that Kimiko and I have a "moment of silence" for Shippou. That's why we left you hanging by only signing our names. Also, killing him was probably the hardest decision to go through with. **

**~hanmajoerin**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty Five**

I told Kagome everything.

I told her that K-9 was really a gang I joined when I was twelve. I told her about the drugs and stealing cars. I told her about all the fights I've been in and the gun hidden in the bottom drawer of my nightstand. I told her that I wanted to break up with her because Ayame was raped.

I told her about how I met Shippo and how he wasn't really adopted and about the huge fight we had. I told her about how I shot Naraku, but missed his heart and how he was just in critical condition and how pissed I was that I hadn't killed him (the police had connected him to Shippo's death somehow though and he was going to be locked up in prison for a while.)

I told Kagome every single bad thing I've done in my entire life so she'd get the hint to leave me now because it felt wrong to still have Kagome with me when Shippo was dead.

But Kagome was too nice to be mean and she tried to forgive me and tell me everything was going to be fine even though she was crying and it pissed me off.

"Don't fucking forgive me this time!" I snapped at her, flinching when I felt her hand on my shoulder. "I let him die! I had too much pride to go looking for him myself and I just let him die! If I had just gone after him…"

I grunted and buried my face in my hands, attempting to shield my tears from Kagome. I already humiliated myself because I was actually crying while someone else was in the room. She didn't need to _see _me cry.

I was mad at everybody. I was mad at Kouga for not keeping a more careful eye on Shippo and letting him get shot in that drive-by. I was mad at God for taking Shippo away at that moment. Everyone has to die, but he could have at least let Shippo get older, actually _live _his life. He could have dealt Shippo a better hand, not the one where he ended up meeting me and getting killed. He could have—_God damnit! _I was mad at Kagome, too, for distracting me from Shippo and not having enough sense to just leave me behind.

Her arm wrapped around my shoulders and I wanted to yell at her for not running away from me, for not letting me carry the burden of guilt myself. I wanted to push her away from me and force her out of the door, out of my life—because Kagome deserved more than I could ever give her. I wish she'd learn some common sense. What about the equation Inuyasha in a gang + Inuyasha nearly killing someone = big trouble, get the fuck away from him did she not get?

But I was a punk and I just turned my head into Kagome's shoulder to try and mask my tears.

"It's okay Inuyasha, it's okay," she tried to calm me, even as she choked on her own tears. "I'm right here," she whispered into my ear. "I'll always be here."

-x-

**You + Review button = ME HAPPY!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**Anyone else thinking of volume 19 where he and Kagome are by the river and he's in mega-angst mode for killing those bandits? Because that's all I could think of while editing this.**

**~hanmajoerin**


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**Yes, this is the last chapter and I just _barely _made the twelve o'clock deadline. This was still updated on a Monday.**

**_Thanks to You_**

**Chapter Thirty Six**

Kagome was always with me.

She was standing next to me when they buried Shippo, letting me hide my face in her hair while I let her cry into my chest.

She was there for me through my fits of anger and self-depreciation, reminding me that I wasn't to blame for Shippo's death even though I felt I was.

She was the one who kept me from leaning on drugs and alcohol in attempts to get over Shippo and she got me some real help.

She was there with me when I paid to get my tattoo removed.

She was there for me in the middle of every night I needed her—on the other side of the phone while she went to college in Kyoto because I couldn't find it in myself to leave home just yet. Not when Mom was still sick. Not when the memory of Shippo was still so fresh.

She was the one holding my hand when Mom went to the hospital for the final time. She was there for me at Mom's funeral, too, offering the same kind of comfort.

She was the one who slept beside me every night that summer without fail, reminding me I wasn't alone in the world.

She was with me every year I went to visit my Mom and Shippo in the graveyard, always the one to bring the flowers, wrapping a Pixi Stix wrapper around Shippo's every time.

She was the one who forced me to swallow my pride and reconnect with my father again because I had finished my two years at the community college and was going to transfer to Kagome's school, but needed the money.

She was the one who forced me to study through school so I could actually get my Master's degree in business and graduate. She was standing next to me in our college graduation picture, smiling brightly at the camera.

She was standing next to me when I finally opened the dojang I was working towards and she was the one who threw the surprise party in our apartment when I gained my first student.

And she was standing next to me now, wearing her white dress, as we stood in front of the altar with our friends and family behind us, our hands linked together.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today we have gathered together to celebrate the marriage of InuYasha and Kagome."

Kagome had been there for me in the past and she stood beside me now as the man who would marry us continued talking. "Marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, who trust each other, who honor one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives with each other. It enables the two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, joys and sorrows, and to help each other through all uncertainties of life." I put Kagome through so much and she'd seen me through it all—even though I never deserved it.

"Marriage is commitment to take that joy deep, deeper than happiness, deep into the discovery of who you most truly are. It is a commitment to a spiritual journey, to a life of becoming—in which joy can comprehend despair, running through rivers of pain into joy again."

Before Kagome, I thought I was a gang banger. I thought I would live to twenty-five (thirty tops) and then die in some huge gang fight. I thought that was all I was good for. But then Kagome came, sticking her nose in my life and it got better, a lot better. I had a future, a life, Kagome. She helped me find out that I could do more than be in a gang; I was better than that.

She helped me through both Shippo and Mom's deaths, allowing the pain and misery to become something of the past. Thanks to Kagome, I made it back to the world of the living; life was better because she gave me a second chance to live it.

"And thus, marriage is even deeper than commitment." When I looked at Kagome, she was already staring at me. "It is a covenant—a covenant that says: I love you. I trust you. I will be here for you when you are hurting, and when I am hurting, I will not leave." It didn't matter if I was about to fall apart, Kagome was there.

"It is a covenant intended not to provide haven from pain or from anger and sorrow. Life offers no such haven. Instead, marriage is intended to provide a sanctuary safe enough to risk loving, to risk living and sharing from the center of oneself. This is worth everything."

Kagome _is _my everything. Of course she's worth it.

"Inuyasha Takahashi," the man addressed me, but I never took my eyes off Kagome who continued beaming up at me. "Will you take Kagome Higurashi, to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love, comfort, honor and protect her; forsaking all others to be faithful to her until death do you apart?"

I would be there, holding out the chair for Kagome to sit in while her stomach was round with my kid inside. I would be there, rocking on a chair right next to hers when we were old and gray. I would stand by Kagome because I loved her—because she was the only one I could ever see being beside me.

Because without Kagome, where would I be?

"I do."

-X-

**Yeah. This is it *slight sobbing*. I always get sad when I finish a story. I'm really glad you guys stuck with me and I kept my promise of not taking forever to update like I usually do. I really like writing stories in snippets so I hope you enjoyed this. **

**So, hanmajo and I were thinking about making a facebook page in dedication to writing and cluing you in on our everyday life stuff and all that jazz. That's kind of the point of my tumblr page, but I rarely post anything on that anyways and little, short comments on facebook would be much more manageable. Just let us know what you think about the idea!**

**Please leave your final review!**

**~Kimiko888~**

**I could not believe this was it- like, I completely forgot. I was so shocked that I actually called Kimiko to inform her about how knocked off my pants were. Ho-_ly _shit. Thanks so much for sticking around for this phenomenally emotional story! We hope that you catch up on more of Kimiko's works because they are pretty read-worthy (Walking Tightrope's newest installment is 85% edited).**

**Until next time,**

**~hanmajoerin**

**P.S-**** Credits to Buzzle dot com for the wedding script. ****If anyone wants the exact link (for specific names and other stuff), please PM me. I have the website saved on my gmail account for future purposes and (of course) citing purposes.**


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